Secret
by Aerysa
Summary: Kaidoh comes across a little girl at a neighborhood playground on his morning jog... Story continues on from there. All the romance portions of the story are straight so there's no shonen-ai or yaoi.
1. Chance Encounter

Note: This is my first time writing a fan fic of any sort so please forgive me if it's not so great! ^^ I just wanted to try it out after reading some other people's work. Usually, I write my own original stories instead. I know Kaidoh's character is off, but that's the way it works out based on the contents of how the story plays out. The meaning of Japanese words are placed beside them as they are used. As for the characters, none of them are mine except for two! The rest of them are from Prince of Tennis. ^^ I hope you like it and please let me know what you think!!  
  
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Chance Encounter  
  
As with every morning, the dark-haired boy tied his green bandana around his head. Before starting his morning ten kilometer jog, Kaidoh took in a deep breath which he subsequently released. To maintain his strong stamina, he had to keep continuing his training that Inui had mapped out for him.  
  
Starting his jog, he took his usual route, passing by neighbors' houses down the street. For part of his route, he passed by a small playground built for the children. He scowled at the memory of the young children, frightened by his face. In the morning, there was usually no one there.  
  
Today was different. As he jogged by, he saw a young girl, maybe four or five, squatting by the sandbox. She was all alone with no one looking after her, but Kaidoh pushed the thought out of his mind. It was none of his business and the little girl would just be scared of him, as was every other child.  
  
He continued his jog, taking the same routine path. As he came to the turning point of his exercise, he jogged around the second small playground and headed home. To his surprise, the little girl was still alone at the first playground he had passed. Stopping by the entrance path, he jogged on the spot, wondering what he should do.  
  
He was torn between leaving her there and going to see what was wrong. It wasn't that he didn't like children, but they always ran away crying when they saw the expression on his face. Making up his mind to leave her alone, he turned around to head home when he heard her sniffles. Just to make sure he hadn't heard wrong, he stopped his movements.  
  
Hearing them again, he exhaled. "Sssh."  
  
How could he leave a crying little girl alone, one who had been in the same spot for the last half hour? Though he disliked to show it, he had a soft spot for little kids, along with furry animals. Usually, he hid his inner feelings well with his gruff exterior, but his heart went out to the little girl.  
  
Walking quietly so that he didn't startle her, he picked one of the nearby flowers for her as he passed by the entrance. As he passed one of the benches, he stopped dead in his tracks. He never did anything like this before. Shaking off his doubts, he closed the distance between them and silently knelt down beside her.  
  
"Oi (here)." he said gruffly, pushing the flower in front of her face.  
  
Surprised to see anyone there, she slowly took the flower from his hand and turned to face him. From all her crying, her innocent brown eyes had become laced with redness. Even still, she held the flower close to her and gave Kaidoh a watery smile. Using the back of her hand, she brushed away the stream of tears falling from her eyes.  
  
"A - Arigato (thanks)." she whispered in her girlish voice.  
  
Kaidoh blushed at her words. Usually, the kids would be running away, crying and screaming, but instead this one was smiling at him. She wasn't scared of him. In fact, she seemed to be eternally grateful for his presence as well as his present. Feeling confused, he didn't know what to do.  
  
"D - Daijoubu desu ka? (Are you okay?)" he finally asked.  
  
"H - Hai, daijoubu. (Yes, I'm okay.)"  
  
Silence fell among the unlikely pair. The little girl continued to watch him intently which made him uncomfortable. This was his first time around a young child. He wasn't a man of many words and so he stared at the sandbox. Picking up a handful of sand, he let it sift through his fingers.  
  
"W - Why are you here by yourself?"  
  
"Because. I - I ran away from home."  
  
Kaidoh was shocked. "Nani?! (What) Naze? (Why)" His raised voice betrayed his emotions.  
  
Before his eyes, the girl seemed to grow smaller as she answered him. "Because. My family doesn't want me anymore. I heard them yelling about how I cause too much trouble."  
  
"Oh."  
  
As her words trailed off, she began to cry, pulling herself into a ball. Growing up in a warm family, Kaidoh couldn't imagine what it felt like. But seeing the little girl in so much pain, he felt anger burning within him at her family's insensitive words. He did the only thing he could do; awkwardly pat her head in attempt to comfort her.  
  
"W - Would you like to play on the playground?" he asked as her crying finally subsided.  
  
"Yes."  
  
Kaidoh got up and wiped at the dirt on his legs. The little girl was still holding the flower in one hand and brushing at her pants with the other. Leading the way to the swings, Kaidoh helped her up and gently pushed the seat. It felt awkward, but at the same time, exhilarating. He had never played with a little kid before.  
  
Time flew by as they both enjoyed themselves. They had played on the swings, then the slide and finally the merry-go-round. Twenty minutes had passed by before a petite girl with light brown hair came rushing in. Her blue eyes sparkled with concern and she was out of breath from running.  
  
"Saya-chan! What are you doing here?!" she asked as she smoothed down her messy hair.  
  
Kaidoh turned around in surprise. The little girl, apparently Saya-chan, stepped off the gently spun merry-go-round and hid behind his legs. The older girl marched forward, hands on her hips. Looking out from behind in fear, Saya clutched at Kaidoh's legs. As the other girl was about to grab her, Kaidoh stepped forward and blocked her way.  
  
"What do you think you're doing with my sister?" the girl asked, glaring at him.  
  
"Ano. Nothing r - really, but she's scared of you."  
  
Not speaking to girls, especially cute ones, on a regular basis, Kaidoh had no idea what he was doing. But feeling Saya's trembling hands on his leg, he wasn't going to let her be taken away back to a family which didn't love her.  
  
"Scared of me?" The girl recoiled back like she had been slapped in the face. "Saya. Why did you run away? Mom and dad are worried to death about you!"  
  
"Oh. I thought you didn't want me anymore."  
  
"Silly girl!" her sister replied. "When did we ever say that?"  
  
"I heard it. After I was sent to my room."  
  
"Oh Saya. They were just mad at you for accidentally breaking their favorite bowls."  
  
Bending down so that she was squatting, she outstretched her arms. Saya rushed forward into her embrace. Repeatedly, she apologized for worrying the rest of the family. The older girl looked up into Kaidoh's face and he blushed.  
  
"What's your name?" she asked softly.  
  
"Kaidoh. Kaidoh Kaoru."  
  
"Asahina Urumi," she replied as she introduced herself. "Gomen ne (Sorry) Kaidoh-kun. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that."  
  
"I - It's okay. I - I better get g - going or I - I'll be late for school."  
  
"Okay. Arigato (Thanks.)"  
  
Nodding, he started to leave when Saya called out to him.  
  
"Oniichan! (Older brother) Will you play with me again tomorrow?"  
  
"O - Only if you c - come with your sister," he answered without turning around, after a slight pause of hesitancy.  
  
"I will!"  
  
Together, Saya and Urumi watched Kaidoh run off. They were lucky that it had been him and not someone else who might have taken her away. As Kaidoh ran off, he could feel the heat rush to his cheeks. Urumi had called him Kaidoh-kun.  
  
But also, he felt embarrassed as he had stuttered in front of her. He ran even faster. Getting back home, he quickly changed into his uniform and rushed downstairs to eat breakfast. It wasn't his habit to be late and he didn't want this to be the first time.  
  
"Daijoubu desu ka?" his mother asked as she noticed his flushed cheeks.  
  
"Daijoubu."  
  
Finishing his food, he grabbed his school bag and headed out. He couldn't believe that he had promised Saya that he would meet her again tomorrow. It was so out of character for him. As he continued to school in this daze- like fashion, he made it there with three minutes to spare. 


	2. A Disturbed Day

Thanks for all the comments everyone. ^^ I really appreciate it. As for the use of Japanese, I just saw that most other people use it so I wanted to try it out. But I can easily take it out and use all English, it's no big deal. As for Asahina, I don't really know what you mean by a "Mary Sue" type of character. I try to keep my characters real, though maybe a little unpredictable at times, so hopefully she won't be a disappointment. No. Something is going to happen between Kaidoh and Saya. Lolz, just teasing. ^^ It's not finished yet, but I'm slowly working on it since I have other writing commitments that I have to upkeep as well. Anyways, I hope you like this chapter too!  
  
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A Disturbed Day  
  
The rest of the day went by rather slowly for Kaidoh as he sat in class. Nothing the teachers said made it into his head as he stared at his open notebook. There were no notes taken and he had even gotten in trouble in his best class: third period English.  
  
"Kaidoh."  
  
"Kaidoh!" his teacher repeated.  
  
"Hm?" He looked up in surprise.  
  
"I asked you to read from the last paragraph on page seventy-two. You could at least pull out your textbook."  
  
"Oh. Sorry," he mumbled, flushing red at being singled out like that.  
  
Everyone laughed as he pulled out his textbook. Finding the right page, he stood up to read it out loud. While he was reading, his mind was wandering off to think about other things. As a result, he kept stumbling on words that he usually had no problem reading.  
  
*********  
  
After school, he headed to the tennis club change room to get prepared for practice. Standing by the front of the building was Horio, bragging loudly to Katsuo and Kachiro. Seeing Kaidoh turn around the corner, they quickly clammed up in fear that he would yell and glare at them.  
  
Not even noticing them, Kaidoh went into the change room, closing the door behind him. This caused looks of confusion to mar their faces. Even still, they released loud sighs of relief that they didn't get in trouble. It scared them when he looked at them.  
  
"What was that?" Katsuo asked.  
  
"I don't know, but we're saved. We better go get ready."  
  
Coming out of the change room, Kaidoh went to join all the other tennis club members. Entering the courts, he stood off to the side in his usual spot, waiting for Tezuka and Oishi to start practice. No one noticed, but the usual intense stare in his gaze was replaced by a blank look.  
  
"Captain!" everyone greeted when Tezuka joined them with Oishi behind him.  
  
Giving them his customary nod, Tezuka outlined the plans for today's practice.  
  
"First years will be picking up balls. Regulars will go to court B with me. The rest of you will be having a singles tournament. Inui will be watching this to help out with your needed areas of improvements. Your goal is to win as many consecutive rounds as you can. The loser will be replaced by another team member. Dismissed!"  
  
"Hai!"  
  
"Whoever loses will have to drink my Ultra Remix Special Inui Juice!"  
  
Everyone paled and sweat dropped before the regulars, excluding Fuji, released a sigh of relief, knowing that it wasn't their punishment. As the regulars walked to court B, no one noticed anything out of place with Kaidoh. They happily talked amongst themselves. Single file, they entered the court: Tezuka at the front and Kaidoh bringing up the rear.  
  
"What are we doing?" asked Kikumaru.  
  
"First, we will all have warm-up rallies. The pairings are as follows: Kawamura with Echizen, Oishi with Momo, Kikumaru with Kaidoh and Fuji with me. After that, we will practice accuracy shots. Inui has already set-up the practice at the last court.  
  
Following Kikumaru to one of the empty courts, Kaidoh stood ready with his racket in hand.  
  
"I'll start!" yelled Eiji at which he nodded.  
  
The ball served to his left, Kaidoh slowly moved to hit back a weak return. Seeing him act so oddly, Kikumaru forgot to hit the ball back and they had to start from the beginning. Throughout the entire rally, Kaidoh returned the ball with weak shots that mostly landed near the front.  
  
"Gather up!"  
  
"What's wrong?" Kikumaru asked with a frown on his face.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
It was like that for the accuracy shots as well. He was able to hit them where they were supposed to go, but the strength of his shots were sadly lacking. Everyone watched in confusion. Usually, he was so uptight and serious that now he seemed like an entirely different person.  
  
"What kind of wimp shots are those, Mamushi?!" yelled Momo, trying to taunt him.  
  
Kaidoh didn't even lash back at him and remained silent. Finishing the drill, he stood off to the side, watching everything with passive eyes. No one had any idea about what was wrong, but it was obvious that something had happened. Usually, Momo and Kaidoh were at each other's throats, bickering and fighting.  
  
When Tezuka dismissed them, Kaidoh silently walked off by himself. Fuji and Oishi looked at each other with concern. If he was still like this tomorrow, they might have to talk to him and see what was wrong. There was no way they could win the tournament with half-hearted attempts.  
  
**********  
  
At home, Kaidoh changed out of his uniform into his jogging clothes. He hadn't been himself the entire day, trying to think of a reason why he would agree to play with Saya again. And to think that his condition was that she comes with Urumi.  
  
"Ahh!! What am I thinking?!"  
  
Shaking his head with frustration, he left the room and went downstairs to put his runners on. Hoping that his jog would clear his mind, he set off at a brisk pace. By playing with Saya that morning, he had screwed up his schedule and so he needed to make up for his lost time.  
  
As he passed by the playground this time, there were children playing with their mothers watching. He turned away from the scene and continued running. Even still, the memories of the morning flooded his mind. Saya had been laughing and smiling, enjoying their time together.  
  
He thought about his options. He could go like he said he would or he could forget about it and not show up. With the latter, she would think that she wasn't wanted and he remembered her pained reaction when she had told him why she ran away. Though he wouldn't actually admit it to someone else, he did like her.  
  
"I guess the only thing I can do is go," he thought to himself.  
  
His only problem with the whole situation was Urumi. Not wanting to look like an idiot, he hated the fact that he couldn't speak without stuttering. But he couldn't possibly ask Saya to come by herself. It was too dangerous for a young girl to be running around alone.  
  
Arriving back home, he went up to his room and flopped onto his bed with a sigh. Not even bothering to change out of his sweaty clothes, he continued to lie there, trying to figure something out. He could deal with Saya, but it was her sister who was the problem.  
  
If she tried to talk to him, it would be rude for him to ignore her. But he would sound stupid if he tried to talk. Also, she would be able to see his more vulnerable side which he liked to hide from everyone. No one knew about the fact that he liked to play with cats or children.  
  
His mother called him down for supper and he quickly changed out of his dirty clothes. He laughed along with his family as they talked during dinner. Feeling more at ease for coming to decision, he relaxed. After supper, he went back to his room to do his homework.  
  
As he pulled out his notebooks and flipped through them, they were empty. Because he had been distracted the whole time, he hadn't even taken any notes and didn't know what the homework was. Finding the course outline for each subject, he checked the given timeline and based his work on the topics listed there.  
  
Finishing his work, he changed again as he needed to do the rest of his daily training. Taking his racket outside with him, he practiced his racket swings, and then did his set amount of shuttle runs. Resting for a short period of time, he brought his racket back inside.  
  
The only thing left on his list was the third and last daily ten kilometer jog. After, he came home to take a shower before getting ready for bed. Before he climbed into bed, he set his alarm clock for half an hour earlier than usual. That way, he could finish his jog and still make time for Saya.  
  
"I'll see what happens," he thought before he finally fell asleep. 


	3. Playground Fun

Thanks for all the comments everyone. ^^ As for Urumi, no, she's not going to be a tennis player. Her character is more of the "girl next door" kind of character. I'm glad you all like my story. I actually don't think it turned out as good as I wanted it to. But I don't really know how to fix what I think is wrong with it. ^^;; Anyways, hope you all like this chapter as well!  
  
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Playground Fun  
  
The next morning, Kaidoh awoke at his alarm clock's ring. He felt tired still and he checked the time. He had half an hour before he had to go, but as he almost fell back asleep, he remembered his promise to meet Saya at the park. Quickly getting out of bed, he went to brush his teeth and wash his face before changing.  
  
Starting out earlier in the morning, he could finish his jog and still have a half hour to play with her before needing to go back. Once again, he tied his bandana around his head. Before the jog, he took in a deep breath of the fresh morning air, then exhaled.  
  
"Sssh."  
  
He picked up the pace of his jog, just to make sure he had enough time. As with every other morning, he went around his usual course where he made it home before going back to the park that was five minutes away. They still hadn't arrived yet so he sat down on the bench to rest.  
  
When they arrived, it was to see him doing sit-ups from where he was lying on the grass. Urumi watched in surprise. She had thought that yesterday was just a coincidental meeting, but apparently, he did this every morning. Saya rushed forward to greet him.  
  
"Good morning, Kaidoh-niichan!"  
  
"Good morning," he said as he sat up.  
  
"Will you push me on the swings again?" Saya asked.  
  
"Okay."  
  
Standing up, he saw Urumi staring at him. He blushed and quickly turned away. Following Saya to the swings, he helped her up. Making sure she was holding on tightly, he pushed it gently.  
  
"Higher!" she exclaimed.  
  
He willingly complied with her wishes. As he saw her laughing, he was inwardly glad that he had come as he said he would. Urumi watched them together from her seat on the bench. They had practically forgotten about her. Kaidoh hadn't even greeted her but went immediately to play with Saya.  
  
When it came to guys, it was normal for Urumi to have them pay more attention to her than her baby sister. Still, to see Saya so happy, she couldn't help but smile. It wouldn't be right to be jealous of her five- year old sister. The moment was bittersweet, to see them having so much fun while she was the outcast.  
  
"Wheee!"  
  
Urumi looked up to see Saya going down the slide. As it was kind of high, she watched as Kaidoh made sure she got up safely before waiting for her to come down on the other side. Kaidoh could feel her eyes staring at him, but he ignored the uncomfortable sensations and focused on Saya instead. It was better this way.  
  
From the slide, they went to the merry-go-round. While Saya held onto the bar tightly, Kaidoh would give it a gentle spin. He made sure that it wasn't too fast, just in case she wasn't feeling well. Urumi checked the time on her watch. She had told her parents that they'd only be gone for forty minutes at most.  
  
"Saya-chan! It's time to go!" she said.  
  
"Okay."  
  
Kaidoh slowed the merry-go-round so that Saya could get off. As she stepped down, she went to stand in front of him. Motioning for him to bend down, he squatted so that they were the same height. She smiled at him and the muscles in his face relaxed.  
  
"What is it?" he asked.  
  
"Will you meet me again tomorrow?"  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Yaay! Then it's a date!" she cried out happily.  
  
He blushed at her choice of words.  
  
"Let's go, Saya," her sister said softly from behind him.  
  
Saya went to hold Urumi's hand and said, "See you, Kaidoh-niichan!"  
  
Kaidoh turned around to face her. "See you later."  
  
As he stood up to look down at Urumi, the muscles in his face tightened and he was once again scowling. Nodding slightly in her direction, he left them and jogged back home.  
  
"Does he hate me or something?" Urumi thought as she watched his retreating back.  
  
"Kaidoh-niichan, bye, bye!" Saya yelled after him.  
  
**********  
  
Even though he hadn't figured out the reason why he had promised to play with Saya, he didn't really mind. He had truly enjoyed their time together and was looking forward to it tomorrow. The only dark cloud in the picture was still Urumi, but he was back to his normal, intense self.  
  
Like every school day, he had tennis practice after. With punishment for being tardy, he didn't want that to happen. He quickly grabbed all his stuff and ran to the change room. When he entered, he saw Arai talking with his friends in the corner.  
  
They saw him enter and watched him. After Kaidoh had left by himself yesterday, rumors had gone around in the club saying that he had lost his intensity. If that was the case, it would only be a matter of time before he was kicked off the regulars which would make an opening for a new one.  
  
"What do you want?" he snapped, glaring at the same time.  
  
The three paled. Whoever had started the rumor was clearly wrong. Kaidoh was still his usual frightening self. When they didn't answer him, he glared harder before turning his back on them. As he changed, the other three quietly left.  
  
"Sssh."  
  
Entering the courts, everyone was watching him. As he walked by some people, they started murmuring behind his back. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but it was damn annoying! Turning around, he narrowed his eyes at them.  
  
"Sssh."  
  
They clammed up and stared back at him with fear in their eyes. Satisfied with the results, he continued walking to his usual waiting spot. He pretended not to notice, but he knew that they were all watching him. As to why, he had no idea.  
  
"Che," he muttered under his breath.  
  
Tezuka came in and started practice. Like all the other regulars, he had noticed Kaidoh's half-hearted attempts yesterday. Deciding not to say anything yet, he wanted to see how things would turn out for today.  
  
Once again, the regulars were separated from the second and third years as they had their own practice. Tezuka explained the drill and they all went to their assigned spots. As Momoshiro walked by Kaidoh, he did what all rivals did to their opponents, rub in signs of weakness.  
  
"Hey Mamushi! What kind of weak shots are you going to show us today?" he murmured.  
  
"Sssh. You bastard! What did you say?!"  
  
"You heard me!"  
  
"Stop it Kaidoh! Momo!" exclaimed Oishi as he went to see what the ruckus was all about.  
  
"Mada mada dane," Echizen said from the other court.  
  
Kaidoh glared at him, but he wasn't even looking. As the commotion simmered down, Tezuka went to join them.  
  
"Thirty laps for disrupting practice!"  
  
"Hai."  
  
As they ran their laps, everyone could see them fighting as they went, trying to outdo each other. Fuji stood off to the side with his deceptive smile on his face.  
  
"Looks like things are back to normal now," Kawamura said to him.  
  
Fuji nodded.  
  
"Start practice or you will all have to run laps," Tezuka said in his calm, cool voice.  
  
Everyone else sweat dropped. They knew he had been worried about yesterday, but he would never show it. Whatever the case, all was back to normal in the Seigaku's tennis club. Clearly, whatever had been bothering Kaidoh had been fixed and all was returned to how it should be. 


	4. Unexpected Visit

Here's the next chapter! Sorry for the slow updates. ^^;; Anyways, I hope you like it. ^^  
  
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Unexpected Visit  
  
For the last few weeks, they had continued to meet at the playground every morning. Kaidoh would wake up half an hour earlier so that he could have time to play with Saya before school. Slowly, he started to relax around Urumi. He wouldn't glare at her anymore and even spoke a few words with her at a time.  
  
Still, he focused more of his attention on Saya. She was the reason why he came in the mornings. It brightened up his day to see her laughing and smiling as they played together. Despite playing with her every morning, he was still the same at school. Only Saya and Urumi knew about his hidden nature as he showed it to them every morning.  
  
"Thanks Kaidoh-kun," Urumi said politely after their morning play session.  
  
"It's okay."  
  
"See you tomorrow, Kaidoh-niichan!"  
  
"Yes, bye," he said, patting Saya on the head before leaving for home.  
  
As usual, Urumi and Saya watched Kaidoh turn around the corner before walking home. They were walking side by side in silence. Having something to ask, Saya tugged on Urumi's arm to get her attention.  
  
"What is it, Saya-chan?" she asked with a smile.  
  
"You talked to Kaidoh-niichan before. How come he can't stay longer in the morning?"  
  
"Because just like me, he has to go to school."  
  
"Oh, where does he go? Is it the same as yours?" asked Saya.  
  
"No, it's a different school called Seigaku."  
  
"I see."  
  
Saya felt disappointed that he could never spend more than half an hour with her each morning. Sometimes on the weekend, they would play for fifteen minutes extra, but it always seemed so short. Even though it was actually thirty minutes, it only felt like five. He was always really nice to her and played with her wherever she wanted. He had even helped her build a sand castle one time.  
  
Looking down at her little sister, Urumi smiled. From the look on her face, she could tell what Saya was thinking. She thoroughly enjoyed the time she spent with Kaidoh and looked forward to it every morning. At first, it had surprised their parents to see Saya up and about so early in the morning, but they had gotten used to it after a while.  
  
They were actually proud of her. At five years old, she knew how to wake up by herself, even early in the morning. She used to sleep in for as long as possible, but after meeting Kaidoh, she had asked Urumi for an alarm so that she could wake up on time. Though they had never met him, they were thankful for the role he played in helping their little girl grow up.  
  
As Urumi prepared for school, Saya continued to pester her. She wanted to know anything and everything about Kaidoh. When Saya was with him, they didn't talk about anything. Rather, they enjoyed the short period of time they had to play together. At first, Kaidoh had always ignored Urumi and only paid attention to Saya.  
  
After a while, Saya had saw Kaidoh begin to relax around her older sister. He would never initiate the conversation between them, but if Urumi asked him anything, he would politely respond with the fewest necessary words. When Saya saw them talking, she felt really happy at the turn of events.  
  
Her two favorite people in the world were Urumi, her older sister, and Kaidoh. To see them not getting along, she had felt upset about it but never said anything. There wasn't anything she could do about it anyways. Everything her sister told her about Kaidoh, she stored it away as treasured knowledge. As Urumi left, Saya waved to her before making her own plans.  
  
**********  
  
As with every practice, Kaidoh and Momo would be yelling at each other, causing a large ruckus. Seeing them fighting, Tezuka would unrelentlessly give them laps to run. Each time they caused another fuss, the number of laps would increase. Everyone was fired up to go as the tournament was coming up.  
  
"Still practicing to perfect your Snake shot, Mamushi?" Momo asked.  
  
"Sssh. Shut up you stupid monkey!"  
  
"Who's the monkey?! Bring it on! I'm not scared of you."  
  
"Likewise to you," stated Kaidoh as they glared at each other.  
  
Inui saw them fighting and joined their twosome. Tezuka hadn't arrived yet and it bothered everyone that there would be arguing within their own group. The others present watched in surprise. Usually, Inui liked to keep to himself, busy collecting data on everyone.  
  
"What do you want, Inui-sempai?" they asked without taking their eyes off of each other.  
  
Ignoring them, Inui continued to write in his green notebook and mumble to himself.  
  
"Yes, yes. Momo and Kaidoh are quite fired up. This shall be good. They are the perfect test candidates for my new Hyper Special Golden Vegetable Juice."  
  
No one else except Kaidoh and Momo could hear what Inui had said. They paled, scared of his quiet threats. No longer glaring at each other, they separated and walked to different sides of the court. Though slightly disappointed with the results, Inui grinned evilly. He still had plans that would let all of them try out his newest concoction.  
  
"What did you say to them?" asked Kawamura.  
  
"Oh, nothing much."  
  
They all looked at him skeptically. He had quietly said something to the both of them and they had instantly stopped fighting.  
  
"All hot-blooded people come sign-up to try out my new Hyper Special Golden Vegetable Juice," Inui said loudly so that everyone could hear him.  
  
Everyone laughed as they finally understood what had happened. Having tried his other experimental juices before, everyone, except Fuji, could understand why they had stopped fighting. If they didn't have to, it was best not to try them. After drinking some, it felt like their lifespan had been shortened by a few years.  
  
"Are there no takers?" he asked quite seriously.  
  
They paled, afraid of answering his question. Luckily, Tezuka joined them at that moment. He looked around, wondering at the expressions on everyone's face.  
  
"What about you Tezuka?"  
  
"What is it?" he asked.  
  
"Would you like to try out my latest juice?"  
  
"No. Or would you like to run a hundred laps?" he asked in return.  
  
With Tezuka's calmly insinuated threat, Inui knew when to give up for the time being. He shook his head in response. Turning away, he started to mutter again as he wrote something down in his notebook. Everyone silently laughed at Tezuka's not so subtle threat when he was faced with Inui's concoction.  
  
"Alright, we'll be starting. Second and third years will be practicing doubles. As for the regulars, practice match-ups. Inui, help out with the improvement areas again."  
  
"Okay! Perfect. Whoever loses will have to try out my latest juice as punishment!"  
  
Everyone groaned. Either way, Inui always found a way for them to try out his juice. Unwilling to sacrifice their taste buds and their stomachs, they were all determined to win their match.  
  
"Regulars! First two up for this one game match, Kaidoh and Oishi," said Tezuka.  
  
The both of them remembered their horrible experience with Inui's juice. As they stood on court, expressions of determination were clearly visible. No one wanted to drink Inui's vile concoctions. These were times that the freshmen were glad of their position. Since they didn't need to play, there was no way they needed to drink the punishment juice.  
  
"Each person will alternately serve," explained Tezuka. "The person to win the game is the winner. Any questions?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Okay, best of this one game match. Kaidoh-sempai to serve," Ryoma announced, the referee for this game.  
  
Kaidoh served the ball. There was no way he was going to lose to Oishi. Hitting back the ball, Oishi was prepared for any moves that Kaidoh might use. He wouldn't lose either. The other regulars watched as they had an intense rally, neither willing to give up the first point. The same was going on for the other side with doubles.  
  
"Love - fifteen," called Ryoma. "Oishi-sempai to serve."  
  
"Sssh."  
  
Kaidoh was fired up as he had lost his service since Oishi used his Moon Volley. He couldn't let him get ahead or he'd end up losing. Watching carefully as Oishi served, Kaidoh was determined to get this next point. It would even things out and he would have a better chance of winning the game.  
  
As Oishi served, another intense rally ensued. Neither of the players were willing to leave an opening for the other to exploit. The players watching were hoping that this game would last as long as possible. No one wanted to be the next potential victim.  
  
"Fifteen - all," Ryoma said, Kaidoh having used his Boomerang Snake.  
  
"Kaidoh-niichan?" 


	5. Chaos Central

Wow! So many comments this time. Thanks everyone!! ^^ As for everyone's reaction to Saya's appearance, it'll all be answered in this chapter. ;) I hope everyone likes it!!  
  
**********  
  
Chaos Central  
  
The regulars who were watching the game turned around in surprise at the softly spoken words. It was surprising that they had even heard her, but the nature of her words screamed for attention. To them, an unknown little girl with pigtails was clinging to their court fence, calling out to one of their team members.  
  
"Kaidoh-sempai to serve!"  
  
Prepared to serve, Kaidoh looked up to see a mystery before him. The court opposite him was empty. He frowned as he wondered where Oishi had disappeared to. While he had been busy preparing for the next section of their match, Oishi had noticed the commotion caused by the others and rushed over to see what was wrong.  
  
"Oh no!" he wailed. "What are we supposed to do with her?! What if she's lost?! What if she doesn't know the way home?!"  
  
Hearing Oishi's voice, Echizen and Kaidoh turned around to see what was going on. Why was he all the way over there? And what was with this little girl fantasy? Kaidoh couldn't see what was behind the wall created by the regulars as they blocked his view, crowded around the fence as they were.  
  
"Nyah! She's so cute!" exclaimed Kikumaru.  
  
"Um, should I get Ryuzaki-sensei?"  
  
"What if we get in trouble because they think we took her away?! Hurry, we need to do something quickly!!"  
  
"A little girl aged four or five, shoulder-length brown hair tied in pigtails, brown-eyes, three feet five and a half inches tall," Inui muttered as he scribbled into his notebook.  
  
"Mada mada dane."  
  
"Hey little cutie, what are you doing here?" asked Momo.  
  
Fuji and Tezuka looked at each other. With her appearance, everything was a mess. Oishi was worrying about getting her home while Eiji was ranting about how cute she was. Saya looked around in confusion, slightly scared by all the noise they were creating.  
  
She knew that she had seen Kaidoh somewhere inside, but she couldn't see with them blocking her way. While they were all talking amongst themselves, she moved to a space further down the fence. Here, she could see that he was standing inside, near another person atop a high chair.  
  
"Kaidoh-niichan!" she called out, waving at him.  
  
The noise of the regulars stopped as she spoke. They were so busy discussing the situation that they hadn't noticed her move away. Their gaze traveled to Saya outside the court, to Kaidoh on the court and back to Saya again. The little girl was looking for Kaidoh?!  
  
She had said that the first time but it hadn't registered in anyone's mind as Oishi began his worry fest. Everyone was silent as they watched the unlikely pair. Kaidoh could feel the heat rising to his face as he saw Saya happily waving at him. All eyes were on them and he didn't know what to do. Somehow, Saya had found her way to his school.  
  
"No one noticed her by herself?!" Kaidoh thought to himself. "I better get her home before they start to worry."  
  
Slowly, he walked to the bench and put down his racket. Making his way to Tezuka and the rest of the group, he felt entirely awkward. No one was ever supposed to find out about Saya. Even still, he was in a situation that he hadn't created and all he could do was bring her back home.  
  
"I have some unfinished business," he said to Tezuka as he stood in front of him.  
  
"Okay," he answered slowly, his voice slightly betraying his surprise.  
  
Everyone watched with gross fascination as Kaidoh left the fenced court area. As soon as he was outside, Saya was running towards him. She was grinning happily, her pigtails flying out behind her. Though they were staring, Kaidoh ignored them.  
  
"Let's go," he said gruffly, trying to cover up his embarrassment.  
  
"Okay!"  
  
As Kaidoh left with Saya trailing behind him, everyone was stunned silent. Kaidoh and children were two items that they had never associated together. Most of the time, they were scared of him. Even older children, like freshmen, were scared of him.  
  
Momo was the first to break the silence as he doubled over with laugher. Everyone looked at him like he was a maniac. A second later, all hell broke loose and everyone was talking at the same time again.  
  
"Nya?! That little cutie knew Kaidoh?!"  
  
"Thank goodness someone knew her," replied Oishi. "We would have been in big trouble with a lost child on our hands."  
  
"Kaidoh knows the described little girl above."  
  
"Um, I guess Ryuzaki-sensei isn't needed after all," Kawamura commented quietly.  
  
"How does Kaidoh know her?? I thought he hated children!"  
  
"Ahaha! I can believe that Mamushi isn't actually so tough after all. I knew it!!"  
  
"Mada mada dane."  
  
"The young girl is a friend of Kaidoh's," mumbled Inui.  
  
Fuji looked over at Tezuka, his famous smile present. From the looks of things, everyone was in for trouble. Though it was a surprise to him as well, he didn't show it. More than anything, he disliked chaos and disorder, especially under his jurisdiction.  
  
"Quiet!"  
  
Once again, the noise stopped at the sound of Tezuka's voice. The regulars looked at their captain's face and cringed. His brows were drawn together tighter than usual and his lips were turned down in a stern frown. Looking each of them in the eyes, he silently challenged them to speak out against him.  
  
"Kaidoh will be dealt with when he returns," he told them. "As for everyone else, thirty laps around the court for causing such a ruckus and wasting practice time!"  
  
"Hai."  
  
As the other regulars left the court, Echizen hopped down from his referee post. Tezuka was still watching them run, having forgotten about Ryoma.  
  
"Do I have to go too?" he asked.  
  
"Yes, there are no exceptions!"  
  
"Hai."  
  
Ryoma left the court as well, joining up with his fellow team members. Though they were being punished, they were busy discussing the situation. It was a shock for the non-regulars to see the other side of the court empty, except for Tezuka standing by the door.  
  
**********  
  
"Saya-chan, how did you know where to find me?" Kaidoh asked as he walked her home.  
  
"Because I asked neesan which school you went to!"  
  
"Oh, does anyone know that you left?"  
  
"No, I snuck out," she answered sheepishly.  
  
"Saya! You shouldn't do that. It's dangerous for you to walk around outside by yourself."  
  
"I know, but I just wanted to see you."  
  
"Well don't do it again," he replied.  
  
She stopped walking. It wasn't like she wanted to make everyone worried on purpose. It was just that she wanted to see Kaidoh in his regular environment. He turned around as he heard her sniffling.  
  
"A-Are you m-mad at m-me?" she sobbed.  
  
"No, of course not," he answered as he knelt down in front of her.  
  
"O-Okay."  
  
"Don't cry. Come, I'll take you home. Just promise that you won't do it again."  
  
"I promise."  
  
Using his hand, Kaidoh brushed away the tears from her face. He stood up and took a hold of her hand. He wasn't mad at Saya, but he had no idea how he would live it down when he got back. 


	6. Surprising Silence

Thanks for all the support everyone. ^^ I'm not really sure how Saya knew to go to Kaidoh's school. I just kind of put that in because I knew it'd go well for some sort of plot, hehe. Well, this is the next chapter. Hopefully, your questions will be answered. Enjoy! ^^  
  
**********  
  
Surprising Silence  
  
Kaidoh waited as he rang the doorbell to Saya's house. As he stood on the doorsteps, Saya was standing slightly to his left, behind him. A few seconds later, the door opened and Urumi looked at him in surprise.  
  
"Kaidoh! What are you doing here?" she asked.  
  
"Bringing her back."  
  
At his three simple words, she looked down to see Saya hiding behind him. Stepping out of the house, she went to take her hand.  
  
"Saya! What are you doing?"  
  
"I just wanted to see Kaidoh-niichan," she answered softly.  
  
"I can't believe it! Haven't I told you to stay at home and not wander around outside?"  
  
"Yes, sorry."  
  
"If you keep causing so much trouble for Kaidoh, I won't let you go play with him anymore," scolded Urumi.  
  
If anything ever happened to Saya, she would get in trouble with her parents. Being the older one, she was supposed to take care of her little sister. As the meaning of her words sank in, Saya began to cry.  
  
"That's not fair!" she sobbed.  
  
"Then stop causing trouble for other people. He already spends as much time with you as possible."  
  
"Stop," Kaidoh said. "It's okay."  
  
Urumi turned to look at him in surprise. Though what she said was true, Kaidoh hated the fact that they only caused Saya to cry harder. He knelt down on the doorsteps, so that he was at the same level as her.  
  
"You already promised not to do it again, right?" he asked as he brushed away her tears.  
  
"Y - Yes."  
  
"That's right, but you should still apologize to Urumi."  
  
"I'm sorry neechan," she mumbled.  
  
Urumi sighed as she knelt beside her sister. After seeing Kaidoh's treatment of her, she felt gauche and harsh in her own reaction. He was always so gentle and sweet when it came to Saya. If only she could be a little bit like him. [Lolz! If only she knew the truth. :p]  
  
"I'm sorry too," she said as she hugged her. "I shouldn't have yelled at you."  
  
Seeing that Saya was safely back at home, Kaidoh stood up to leave. He was dreading it, but he had to return to tennis practice. Knowing Momo, that bastard, he would bug him about it. Most likely, Tezuka would make him run laps for walking out.  
  
"Thanks for bringing her back," Urumi said as she saw him standing up.  
  
"Okay. See you tomorrow."  
  
"Bye, bye!"  
  
Ruffling Saya's hair, he left. As usual, they watched him leave before going back inside. Luckily, their parents weren't home. If they were, Saya would have been in big trouble and what Urumi had threatened would have been reality.  
  
"You are one lucky girl, Saya," whispered Urumi wistfully as she stood up.  
  
Saya looked up at her older sister in surprise. For some reason, a reason that she didn't understand, Urumi seemed sad. Whatever the case, she was happy that she got to see Kaidoh, even if she had gotten into trouble.  
  
**********  
  
Since he was out, Kaidoh jogged back to school. Even though he was unsure of what to expect when he got back, it was best to return as fast as possible. He couldn't run before since Saya was with him, but it took him ten minutes to get back.  
  
When he got back, he saw that everyone was still playing. After thirty laps of running, Tezuka had resumed the practice, where no one wanted to try Inui's juice. Slowing down his pace, he entered the court and went to speak with his captain.  
  
"Sorry for the disturbance," he said.  
  
"Everything okay now?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Good. As punishment, you need to run twenty laps around the court," replied Tezuka.  
  
Nodding, Kaidoh left. It was just as he had expected. Usually, he would rather play than run, but now was a moment that he was glad of the distraction. He just knew that everyone was going to pester him because of Saya's appearance.  
  
Finishing his laps, he went back to the court to watch the others play. Just because he had walked out, it didn't mean that his game was cancelled. It was just postponed. As he waited, he saw that Momo was missing, having drank Inui's juice since he lost to Echizen.  
  
It was the last game before his, Kikumaru versus Taka. The other game had been between Tezuka and Fuji, quickly over. Fuji had put up a slight resistance as he hoped to try it while Tezuka had been entirely serious.  
  
"Oh no!" Kawamura bellowed, having lost the game.  
  
"Nya ha!"  
  
While Kawamura painfully swallowed Inui's juice, Eiji did a happy dance of victory. This time, he had escaped the evil clutches of Inui's weird concoctions. Seeing that Oishi and he were the last ones up, Kaidoh grimaced.  
  
"Start where they left off," Tezuka said to Ryoma, once again the referee.  
  
"Okay. Fifteen - all, Kaidoh sempai to serve."  
  
**********  
  
After the intensely tiring match, Kaidoh released a soft sigh of relief. Though he had barely won, he had won nonetheless. He turned away as he watched Oishi-sempai turn blue before he ran out of the court as fast as possible.  
  
"Okay! Everyone is dismissed now," Tezuka said as all the games were finished.  
  
As he went to change, Kaidoh felt greatly relieved. The only one who would bother him a lot about Saya had been painfully taken to a world of horror as he had to drink Inui's juice. Only the regulars knew about Saya, but none of them had mentioned anything.  
  
**********  
  
Having finished everything on his training schedule as well as his homework, Kaidoh flopped down onto his bed. He was exhausted, the day holding too many unnecessary surprises: first the threat of Inui's juice and then Saya's visit.  
  
"At least she's safe. I wonder how she even knew where to go," he thought to himself.  
  
"Kaidoh, come down and have some of the tiramisu that I bought," his mom said as she popped her head into his room.  
  
"Okay, coming."  
  
He got off the bed and went downstairs to see that his father and his younger brother were already there. They waited while his mom served them all equal portions.  
  
"Itadakimasu!"  
  
As they ate, they talked about various things: his tennis, his brother's schooling, his father's work. Never did Kaidoh bring up the topic of Saya. Even though he had been playing with her for such a long time, no one else knew about it.  
  
"I'll see her again tomorrow," he thought to himself as he was readying for sleep that night, getting a good night's rest. 


	7. Crisis Calls

Sorry for the slow updates! School started up again so I have less time and everything. But there's not much left to this story! ^^ It's almost done. I hope you like this chapter! Enjoy!~  
  
**********  
  
Crisis Calls  
  
Like all the weeks before, Kaidoh continued to meet Saya and Urumi at the playground. Day after day, it was the same environment, but he was never tired of it. As long as he could see them, he was happy. Everything was worthwhile as long as Saya was laughing and smiling, enjoying their time together.  
  
After the incident of Saya visiting his school, they had agreed to lengthen their time together on weekends. Now, he would spend an hour with her instead of the previous forty-five minutes. He didn't really mind as the only other things he had to do were homework and practice his tennis.  
  
Since it was Saturday, he was allowed to take his time with his training. He didn't have to worry about racing to school. He jogged around the usual course, feeling light-hearted as he passed the first playground. Before, it was a place of bad memories as children would run and hide when he passed by.  
  
Now, in the earliness of the morning, he had created wonderful memories there with Saya and her sister. He still didn't talk to her much, but he had grown accustomed to her presence. Most of the time, Saya would run around by herself, the both of them watching out for her.  
  
Urumi wasn't like other girls. Usually, the ones he knew, they were screaming about some hot guy, making a lot of excess noise. With Urumi, he didn't have to worry about her talking a mile a minute. There was always a comfortable silence which he had come to enjoy, just as much as his time playing with Saya.  
  
He remembered. Sometimes, he would glance over at her, beside him on the park bench. As she watched Saya, she would have a gentle smile on her pretty face. If it was breezy, she would slowly lift her hand to her wind- ruffled hair, holding it away from her face.  
  
Kaidoh sighed as he reached the playground once again and sat on the bench. He usually hated Momo, knowing that he himself was better at tennis, but just this once, he was jealous. By nature, Momo was outgoing and friendly while he was reserved.  
  
It was lowering to accept the truth sometimes, but Kaidoh was completely honest with himself. Around Urumi, he wished he could be like Momo. He would know what to say to her. Though he enjoyed the silence, he wanted more than anything to be able to talk to her.  
  
It wasn't that he hadn't tried, but his mind always drew a blank when it came to suitable topics. Most of his life had revolved around tennis, until now. Urumi had tried to draw him into conversation, but after receiving only several word replies at a time, she had given up.  
  
While he waited, Kaidoh thought back to all the time they had been together. It had all been thanks to Saya that he had met Urumi. At first, he had only thought of her as a nuisance, hindering his time together with Saya. But now, he knew better.  
  
Saya absolutely adored her. Though there had been a few arguments that he had witnessed, Urumi had always been quick to apologize. Kaidoh sighed at the hopelessness of his situation. He had come to like Urumi a lot, possibly even love her.  
  
He blushed at his own thoughts and shook his head in denial, but it wasn't possible to escape the truth. How long he might have known, he wasn't sure, but he knew that it was true. It was the only possible reason why he would be jealous of Momo, his biggest rival, someone better than him when it came to handling females.  
  
At first, he had only come to see Saya and play with her. As he got to know her better, he would spend some time with Urumi as well. It seemed to make Saya happier. Instead of her regular, happy smile, it was all the brighter when she saw them together. But lately, he had been spending more and more time with Urumi.  
  
Kaidoh sighed one last time before checking his watch. It wasn't like them, but they were already ten minutes late. He couldn't think of any possible reason, but it was okay. As the highlight of his days, he wouldn't leave, since he had the time, before he saw Urumi and Saya.  
  
"I might as well get to work while I wait," he thought to himself.  
  
It was still early so there were no other people around. Rising from the bench, he went to lie on the grassy area where he could do sit-ups. Carefully putting his watch and his cell phone beside him, he started his exercises. Every day, he had to follow Inui's training schedule.  
  
His training had become repetitive that it now served two purposes. It cleared his mind and let him think while he was maintaining the condition of his health. Instead of thinking about Urumi and Saya, he thought about his other priority in life, tennis.  
  
It was twenty minutes later that the ringing of his cell phone snapped him out of his thought filled daze. He stopped his exercise and picked it up. Looking at the display, his face scrunched up with confusion. The number on the screen wasn't any that he knew, but he picked up anyways.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Kaidoh? It's Urumi."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
His mind blanked out for a seconds. How did she get his number? Why was she calling? Then, he remembered. On the spur of the moment, he had given it to her one day, saying that she could call him if anything was wrong. Since he saw them every day and she never did call, he had forgotten about it.  
  
"It's Saya," she said, now capturing his full attention.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I - I don't know. She said that she was really hot and it looks like she has difficulty breathing. I don't know what to do!" cried Urumi.  
  
"Okay, I'm coming right now!"  
  
"Thanks, but please hurry. I - I'm scared."  
  
"I'll be there in five minutes," Kaidoh replied and hung up.  
  
Getting up from the grass, he ran as fast as his legs would carry him. So that was the reason why they were late. Saya was sick and Urumi didn't know what to do about it. Even though she had called him, Kaidoh was a little panicked. He wasn't a doctor so he might not be able to help.  
  
When he got there, in five minutes like he said he would, it was to see that Urumi was waiting at the door. He felt a pain in his heart as he saw her tear-streaked face and puffy red eyes. Even still, he pushed that thought aside. Saya was the one who needed him the most now.  
  
"Where is she?"  
  
"She's in her room. Follow me," Urumi replied.  
  
Quickly taking off his shoes, Kaidoh followed as Urumi ran upstairs and entered the first bedroom on the left. Entering behind her, he saw Saya lying on the bed. Her face was flushed and she was gasping for air. He went to check her temperature, but pulled his hand away in shock of the intensity.  
  
"Kaidoh-niichan?" she whispered softly as she looked up at him.  
  
"You'll be okay. Go back to sleep."  
  
"Okay."  
  
Urumi watched as Kaidoh had walked up to her. She had seen the look of shock on his face as he pulled his hand away in surprise. Dreading the worst, she felt paralyzed with fear. The only things moving were her tears as they steadily flowed down her face. At that moment, Kaidoh went back to talk to her quietly.  
  
"It's only a fever, though it's pretty high."  
  
"W - Will she live?" she asked.  
  
"Depends. I need some ice, a bucket of cold water and some towels."  
  
She stared back at him with blank eyes.  
  
"Hurry!" he yelled. 


	8. Emotions Relieved

Hey! ^^ This is the final chapter for my fan fic. I just wanted to thank everyone for reading it. I hope you enjoy the ending just as much as you've been enjoying the rest of the story. I hope it's not too abrupt or anything, because it somewhat seems like that to me. Anyways, just read it! And let me know what you think, please? ^^  
  
**********  
  
Emotions Relieved  
  
After two non-stop hours of multiple water changes, Saya's fever had finally broke. She was resting peacefully, her breathing regular and her temperature having returned to a reasonably normal state. Kaidoh relaxed his tense muscles, having stayed with her the entire time. Filled with exhaustion, he rested his head against the mattress of her bed.  
  
Urumi smiled as she watched them from the doorway. She was tired as well as she had been the one doing water runs. Even still, she went downstairs to get both Kaidoh and her some water to drink. Kaidoh had been in constant action even before he came as he had his training. After he came, he was continually watching Saya and giving her instructions at the same time.  
  
Putting the cups and the small pitcher of water on the living room table, she went to get him. He looked like he had already fallen asleep. Gently, she shook him to rouse him from his sleep. Opening his eyes, he looked at her in confusion, slightly disoriented by his surroundings. She grabbed one of his hands and tugged at him to stand up. He was too tired to complain and be embarrassed about it.  
  
"Come on. I got some water so drink that before you rest," she said softly. "If you sleep here, you'll get a sore neck afterwards."  
  
Nodding in agreement, he followed along behind as she held his hand the entire time they walked. Upon reaching the living room, Kaidoh went to sit on the sofa. Pouring them the water, Urumi handed one of the cups to him. With her own cup in hand, she sat down beside him, a ruler length of space between them.  
  
"Thanks," he said before drinking from it.  
  
He relished the feel of the cool water running down his dry throat. Because of the cool contrast of the water and his body, he felt more alert. Putting the cup on the table, he looked to see that Urumi was still slowly sipping from hers while he had just drank it all in a big gulp.  
  
"Did you want more?" she asked as she saw him watching her.  
  
"I can pour it myself."  
  
"Okay."  
  
Kaidoh poured himself another half a glass before sitting back. Before, he hadn't had the chance to look around, but he took the time now to see what kind of house they lived in. It was a lot like his own, beautiful in its simplistic elegance. The walls weren't decorated with crowds of finery, but rather one large outstanding piece.  
  
"It's beautiful here," he said.  
  
"Yah, my mom added all the finishing touches."  
  
"Can I ask you something?"  
  
"Sure, go ahead," replied Urumi.  
  
It was ironic that now was the time he felt comfortable speaking, after they faced a crisis which could have taken Saya away from them. Though she had replied with calmness, Urumi was a little anxious about his question. Usually, she had to be the one to ask him something before he would speak.  
  
"Where are your parents? Shouldn't they be here?"  
  
"Oh, they left yesterday night for a business trip. They thought it would be okay for us to be alone since it's only for the weekend," she answered. "They'll be coming back tomorrow afternoon."  
  
"I see. Is this your first time alone without your parents?"  
  
"Yeah, that's why I didn't know what to do."  
  
"Oh. Why didn't you call me sooner?" he asked after a slight pause.  
  
Urumi turned away and blushed. The answer was so simple, yet so stupid at the same time.  
  
"I - I couldn't find it."  
  
The day she had received his number, she had been so happy. When she returned home, she went to her room and started dancing around with the piece of paper in hand. Her mom opened the door to tell her that she was going to be late for school. In reaction to the surprise and embarrassment, she released her hold on the paper in mid-twirl.  
  
It fluttered off somewhere but she had to hurry for school. She didn't have time to look for it. After school, she tried to find it, but it was nowhere to be seen. Though she had been slightly disappointed, she didn't think much of it since she saw him everyday anyways. After much frantic searching, she found it between the wall and her desk.  
  
"So that's why."  
  
Kaidoh didn't ask anymore questions, instead relaxing while he was leaning back onto the sofa. For Urumi, the silence was awkwardly unnerving. She put her cup on the table and her hands on her lap. Staring at her hands, she made up her mind to tell him how she felt.  
  
"C - Can I sit c - closer?" she asked nervously.  
  
"Um, I guess."  
  
Kaidoh wasn't sure what she wanted, but it didn't hurt to have her close to him. It was surprising how such a simple action could turn two good friends into nervous wrecks. Kaidoh looked anywhere but at the girl he loved beside him while Urumi continued to nervously stare at her hands.  
  
"C - Can I put m - my head on your s - shoulder?"  
  
His eyes widened at the question. He wasn't sure how to respond. Urumi waited but he didn't answer. Shyly, she rested her head against his shoulder. Swallowing painfully against the lump in his throat, Kaidoh slowly put his arm around her. Urumi smiled as the expected safeness she felt enveloped her.  
  
Looking at his larger, stronger hand, she remembered all the times of gentleness he had shown towards Saya. She wrapped her two smaller ones around his bigger one and held it close to her. Kaidoh stiffened at her action. He was slightly afraid of what to expect, but at the same time excited as well.  
  
"Kaidoh-kun," she said, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I - I l - love you."  
  
"A - Are you sure?" he asked, unable to keep the waver of uncertainty from his voice.  
  
"Yes, I'm sure. How can there be anyone else when you're the sweetest and gentlest guy I know?"  
  
She could feel his body shake. When he started laughing, she was shocked. She was hurt that he would laugh at her serious confession. When she glanced up at him, she felt her breath catch in her throat. He was grinning happily at her, something he had never done before. She couldn't take her eyes off of him. He was breath-takingly good-looking, not that he wasn't before.  
  
"I love you too," he simply said, hugging her.  
  
"Really?!"  
  
"Yes, I was thinking about it before you called. But I was scared that you couldn't love someone like me," he confessed.  
  
"Why would you think that?"  
  
"Because I'm not good enough for you. I never know what to say to you and usually, I'm easily angered."  
  
"Oh Kaidoh," she replied. "I rather have you, someone who takes care of Saya, than anyone who would court me with fancy words while ignoring my sister."  
  
Urumi smiled at him and he smiled back. They tried to kiss, but kept bumping noses as it was Kaidoh's first time. Giggling at his cuteness, Urumi gently stilled his movements before leaning in for a sweet, tender kiss.  
  
"I love you," said Kaidoh as they pulled apart.  
  
"I love you too."  
  
The comfortable silence regained between them, they sat on the couch with their arms wrapped lovingly around each other. Soon, the activities of the day caught up with them and they fell asleep.  
  
**********  
  
Saya flung off her blanket as she woke up. It felt like she had been cooking in the oven. Checking her alarm clock, she saw that it was still early afternoon. Looking around, she didn't see Kaidoh or her sister. Slipping out of bed, she went to find them, but the house was oddly silent.  
  
As she got to the living room, she smiled at the two heads together, the dark brown of Kaidoh's and the light brown of her sister's. Quietly tip- toeing so that she was in front of them, she giggled softly as she watched them sleep.  
  
"Wah!! What are you doing?!" she yelled.  
  
Kaidoh and Urumi awoke to Saya's voice. Urumi was going to pull away in embarrassment, but he wouldn't let her go. Using his free hand, he rubbed at his tired eyes before running his hand through his hair.  
  
"We're sleeping," he answered.  
  
"Um, is it okay that we're together Saya?"  
  
"Hm. Well," she said, pretending to think about it seriously. "Yes! It is because I say so!"  
  
"Hear that? She approves," murmured Kaidoh as he brushed his lips against Urumi's cheek at which she blushed.  
  
"Aww, me too Kaidoh-niichan!" Saya exclaimed as she pointed at her own cheek.  
  
"What?! Being a brat so soon after recovering?"  
  
She frowned at her older sister's words while the other two laughed.  
  
"Alright, come here," replied Kaidoh as their laughter subsided.  
  
Slowly walking towards them, Saya stood in front of them. Kaidoh released his hold on Urumi to pick up Saya and place her on his lap. As he kissed her cheek, she giggled, entirely happy with everything and how things had turned out. 


End file.
